A robust plasma-based laser amplifier via stimulated Brillouin scattering

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that plasma-based stimulated Brillouin scattering can produce high-power, picosecond laser pulses with improved stability and efficiency compared to Raman amplification, using analytic and simulation methods.

Contribution

It introduces a new parameter regime for Brillouin amplification that enhances resilience and efficiency over Raman methods.

Findings

Achieved pump-to-probe compression ratios up to 100

Produced peak laser fluences over 1 kJ/cm$^2$ with 30% efficiency

Maintained high pulse quality by controlling parasitic instabilities

Abstract

It is shown here that Brillouin amplification can be used to produce picosecond pulses of petawatt power. Brillouin amplification is far more resilient to fluctuations in the laser and plasma parameters than Raman amplification, making it an attractive alternative to Raman amplification. Through analytic theory and multi-dimensional computer simulations, a novel, well-defined parameter regime has been found, distinct from that of Raman amplification, where pump-to-probe compression ratios of up to 100 and peak laser fluences over 1 kJ/cm$^2$ with 30\% efficiency have been achieved. High pulse quality has been maintained through control of parasitic instabilities.